Aston Martin are heading into the second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season with renewed optimism, backed by a significant Honda power unit upgrade on the horizon.
Honda Racing chief Shintaro Orihara has issued a positive and confident assessment of where both Honda and Aston Martin currently stand heading into the summer break.
The new upgraded Honda power unit is set to make its competitive debut at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, which takes place on August 23 following the summer shutdown.
Before that competitive debut, the engine is being put through its paces during filming days in Hungary, just days after the Formula 1 circus departed the Hungaroring following the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Aston Martin endured a difficult start to the 2026 season, frequently fighting Cadillac for positions at the back of the grid while struggling with both reliability and outright performance issues.
However, the team showed signs of progress in Hungary, where they brought 16 chassis upgrades, with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finishing 13th and 14th respectively in the race.
Alonso also made it into Q2 for the first time this season during qualifying, a result that underlined the positive direction that the revised AMR26 has taken under the guidance of design legend Adrian Newey.
Newey confirmed during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend that further chassis upgrades are planned for both the Italian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix later in the season.
Honda’s power unit upgrades are made possible in part through the FIA’s additional development upgrade and opportunities scheme, known as ADUO, which was introduced at the start of the year to assist struggling power unit manufacturers under the 2026 regulations reset.
Honda hold the unfortunate distinction of having the worst-performing power unit in the current field, and were awarded two homologations in the first round of ADUO rulings, with the second ADUO period beginning after race 12 at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Orihara spoke with notable confidence about the progress being made on both the engine and chassis fronts as the team look to climb the constructors’ championship standings.
“In Hungary, we saw some pretty strong pace and now we’re back in the mix,” Orihara told AS.
“Any improvement is crucial to catching up with the rival car, and introducing the new engine at Zandvoort is essential. The chassis is working well, so our engine should give us something to smile about.”
The combination of continued chassis development from Newey and the incoming Honda power unit upgrade gives Aston Martin genuine reason for optimism as the second half of the season begins.